Bowstring Truss Roof Construction

They are controversial today because of how they react when exposed to fire.

Bowstring truss roof construction. They were very popular in the early 1900s before trusses were built with metal connector plates. Multi member chord summerbell roof structures multi member mono chord vo vec roof structures multi member chord commercial roof structures multi member chord national truss company multi member chord easybow trusses by u. The property management company for a local pizza restaurant chain contacted us to repair a series of bowstring trusses to the 60 year old building that the restaurant occupied. Several beams make up the arch while the roof outside is made up of metal sheets or other materials.

Bowstring roof trusses usually large and arched the bowstring trusses give support to the building s weight such as the aircraft hangars and the warehouses that require a lot of open space inside. 5 most common commercial bowstring truss manufacturers in california arch rib truss co. For example bowstring trusses can be constructed of wood or steel. Buildings built with bowstring truss roof structures have a number of other factors that can make them susceptible to collapse.

Along with brad young and associates the engineer of record our team performed repairs to eight trusses. Bowstring trusses were a popular solution for structurally supporting roofs from the 1900s through the 1950s especially in buildings where large open spans were desired manufacturing facilities garages warehouses among others. All bowstring trusses are not created equal and do not share the same characteristics when found in a building and occupancy. Buildings that contain any type of truss construction are susceptible to collapse from fire exposure in a very short amount of time.

However they remain in place in older pre 1960s building stock. The major hazard attributable to timber truss construction which includes all timber truss roofs not just the bowstring arch may not be the construction itself but a combination of the following. One of the most easily identifiable when able to be visualized. Bowstring trusses have the appearance of a rounded top chord utilizing many top chord panels of varying pitch.